WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2000

Thomas Enqvist

MODERATOR: Yes, sir.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Well, I was 3-2. I was having breakpoints all the time. I think he was maybe the one who had advantage for the rain break.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Yeah, maybe if he has problem with coming out and serving after the break, of course I have an advantage.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I don't know. I mean, you try to focus out there, to play until the umpire say you should stop.

THOMAS ENQVIST: We didn't know actually if we have to bow or not when we go out of the court.

THOMAS ENQVIST: We did the safety thing, we bowed.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think he asked me. I said, "I don't know." So we did. Better to do it one more time than one less, I guess.

THOMAS ENQVIST: It's my third time.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Well, I think it's always a special place to come here. The first match maybe was more special because having been there these last two years I've been playing, you don't think about it too much.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think he played well. He was going for his shots. He did a good match, I think.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think you have to expect everything when you're on the third round in Wimbledon. You have to be prepared it's going to be a very tough match. I think I didn't play as well as I did in the beginning of the week, but I was able to get through.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Of course, it was tough because I did a really bad third set after starting really good. I was up 6-3, 5-2. I lost the rhythm in my serve totally. Of course, it was not so fun at that point. You've been there before, so of course you try your best. You know after a while it's probably going to come back.

THOMAS ENQVIST: You don't think like that when you're out there. You play third round Wimbledon, you just concentrate on your own game, I think, try to do your best, of course. You know whoever is going to be on the other side of the net is probably going to be very tough to beat. That's how I approach the game.

THOMAS ENQVIST: It's tough to say. I think I was the one maybe who was in control of the points. I did a little bit too many mistakes in the middle of the match. But I felt like when I was finding my range, my rhythm in my game, I was feeling pretty confident out there.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I know him pretty well. I seen him in a lot of tournaments. We practise a few times. I knew how his game was. Had never seen him play on grass before, but he played pretty similar, maybe a little bit more offensive on grass than other surfaces. I think he was moving very well on the grass. Was a good match.

THOMAS ENQVIST: It's always, of course, a little bit a surprise. But we know also you have to be so good from the first match in men's tennis today. So many good players out there. Of course, it's a surprise there's only two seeded left. But that's the way it is. I just try to focus on my next opponents.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I'll try to win my next match here first and then I answer that question.

THOMAS ENQVIST: The Champions Race I like. I think it's a good system. The seedings here, it's tough to say if you like it or not. Of course, I think it's a little bit unfair not to seed a guy like Corretja who is 7 in the world, won the Indian Wells on a fast surface, ATP champions indoors, which is a fast surface. But it's (inaudible) not to seed Krajicek, not to seed Rafter. It's tough to answer that question. Maybe I think it's more fair for everybody if you go against the ranking. Of course there are some years when you have big rounds in the first round. If you have a system that everybody knows, I think -- on paper, there's not going to be any discussion. I think it's better to do it that way.

THOMAS ENQVIST: We played a few times against each other. We practised a few times. He has a good serve. I think he's trying to come to the net much more this year, especially here on grass of course, but even I saw him play this year, try to serve-and-volley a lot. He's been improving that. I think it's going to be a fun and good match, I think.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think there's always going to be some dangerous things to do. I mean, really this is the first year we try this. I think it's a pretty good system. Of course, if we have something maybe we can improve and look after. If you look at the whole thing, I think it's pretty good.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Of course, there's a lot of weaknesses. One of the reasons you said there, of course, if you have an injury or something, you miss a lot of those big tournaments, especially when they're close together, Nicolas this time missed three or four of the Masters Series, it's going to be pretty tough for him to have a fair chance this year, even if he's going to play well the end of the year. That's, of course, a weakness. We have to look at that maybe.